HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros have completed their selections tonight by picking outfielder Ronnie Dawson, who was selected with the 20th pick in the second round (#61 overall). <o:p>
 
Dawson joins right-handed pitcher Forrest Whitley, who was taken by Houston with the 17th overall pick in the first round earlier tonight.<o:p>
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Dawson, 21, hit .331 (85x257) with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 21 stolen bases and 51 RBI during his junior year at Ohio State University. Among all players, Dawson entered the draft ranked by Baseball America as the No. 53 prospect available, and the No. 4 prospect in the Big Ten. The left-handed hitting outfielder was a First Team All-Big Ten Selection, and was named the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2016. He also earned third-team All-American honors from Baseball America and Louisville Slugger.<o:p>
 
Dawson became the first Buckeye ever to have 40 doubles, 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a career. He started and appeared in all 62 games for the Buckeyes in left field this year, and ranked in the top 10 in 11 different Big Ten batting categories, ranking first in total bases (130) and doubles (23), second in home runs (143), third in slugging (.617), run scored (52) and triples (4), fourth in RBI (47) and stolen bases (20), fifth in walks (37), sixth in hits (80) and 10th in on-base percentage (.423).<o:p>
 
With the first pick, the Astros took 19-year-old Forrest Whitley out of Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Texas. In regular season action, Whitley posted a 9-1 record and a 0.31 ERA. He struck out 126 batters in his 68.0 innings of work. He pitched tonight for Alamo Heights, who defeated College Station HS in the UIL Class 5A Semifinal at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. He struck out 11 batters in 6.2 innings on 123 pitches, leading the Mules to the State Championship game to be played tomorrow night.<o:p>
 
In 2016, the 6-foot-7 righty was named to the Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-America and Texas All-Region 1st Team. In his junior year, he was named to the Perfect Game Underclass Second Team and played on the USA Baseball 18U National Team. Whitley entered the draft ranked by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect available. <o:p>
 
After tonight, the draft will resume tomorrow (rounds 3-10) and Saturday (rounds 11-40), with tomorrow's selections starting at noon CT and Wednesday's commencing at 11 a.m. CT. MLB.com will stream all 40 rounds of the 2015 Draft.<o:p>
 
Astros Amateur Scouting Director Mike Elias will be made available after the Astros final selections tomorrow (approx. 6 p.m.) and on Saturday (6 p.m.) in the lobby of Union Station at Minute Maid Park.<o:p>